my London Porter doesn't seem to have done any fermenting

[Jack M]

I pitched the yeast (an Austrian one that came with the Brewcraft kit) after letting the wart cool for a while. A couple days went by with no bubbling at the airlock. After a week I popped the lid off, stirred the beer a bit (to help add oxygen?), and pitched some new yeast in, then sealed it back. I will say, it smells good still.

That was Saturday afternoon. Today, Tuesday, there were no bubbles, so I popped the lid off again and took a photo (see attached). Seems to be pretty inert. I am keeping the pail in my garage storage room (connected to house), so the temperature is pretty stable and about 66-69F right now.

What should I do since nothing appears to be happening?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Do you have a hydrometer and have you taken any gravity readings?
Just glancing at the photo it looks to me like it may already be past the bulk of fermentation (looks like there was a krausen). ... Unless maybe you just had a pretty hefty foam from aerating.
If you had a leak somewhere the airlock would have not shown any activity.

 

[flars]

The dried ring of hop debris and yeast above the level of the beer says it is time to take a SG reading. Looks like your beer is a short time away from bottling. The CO2 produced by the fermentation most likely escaped around the rim of the bucket rather than being forced through the air lock.

 

[parrothead64]

I agree. The ring around the bucket shows that you did have a fermentation
And it’s done. The bad thing is you may have oxidized it by adding oxygen after the first yeast finished fermentation. Hopefully the second batch of yeast scavenged some of it. Nothing to do now but bottle it, drink it, and hope for the best. I found out that those buckets leak when I did the same thing to my first batch “ to get fermentation going” mine was bad but I drank it anyway. Second batch was much better without the second oxygen addition.

 

[Jack M]

Do you have a hydrometer and have you taken any gravity readings?
Just glancing at the photo it looks to me like it may already be past the bulk of fermentation (looks like there was a krausen). ... Unless maybe you just had a pretty hefty foam from aerating.
If you had a leak somewhere the airlock would have not shown any activity.

I haven't done that yet but will as soon as I can clean my hydrometer.

 

[Jack M]

Took a gravity reading just now, and it's 1.024, down from 1.06, so if I'm doing the calc correctly (1.024-1.060)/0.0075 = 4.8% abv.

Took a swig just now, and it's ok - maybe a bit flat and too sweet? I guess the flatness might have to do with the oxidation?

Anyway, this is great. I'll work on bottling next.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Took a gravity reading just now, and it's 1.024, down from 1.06, so if I'm doing the calc correctly (1.024-1.060)/0.0075 = 4.8% abv.

Took a swig just now, and it's ok - maybe a bit flat and too sweet? I guess the flatness might have to do with the oxidation?

Anyway, this is great. I'll work on bottling next.

You should probably leave it alone for a few days (increase the temp to around 70F if you can). Take another gravity reading at that time. If it's the same you'll know it is ready to bottle.

It is flat because it simply has not been carbonated. You wouldn't expect it to be carbonated without bottling with priming sugar (or kegging with forced carbonation).

 

[MaxStout]

Let it ferment a few more days, and take a couple hydrometer readings along the way. It's done when the last 2 or 3 readings are identical. Don't rely on lack of airlock activity.

Don't stir or otherwise add any oxygen. The only time O2 should be added is when you pitch yeast. After that, you want to minimize oxygen exposure.

If it tastes too sweet, it needs to ferment down some more. A porter should finish lower than 1.024. That's only 60% attenuation. Should be more like 1.016 or so. I assume this is extract? Sometimes extract doesn't ferment as low as all-grain (you had no control over mashing, the maltster did). But if your yeast is healthy, it should attenuate about 70%. What temp is it fermenting at? If the yeast are sluggish you should warm it up a bit.

 

[flars]

Took a gravity reading just now, and it's 1.024, down from 1.06, so if I'm doing the calc correctly (1.024-1.060)/0.0075 = 4.8% abv.

Took a swig just now, and it's ok - maybe a bit flat and too sweet? I guess the flatness might have to do with the oxidation?

Anyway, this is great. I'll work on bottling next.

Warm the fermentor as @MaxStout suggests to get a good finish. Which yeast did you use? The partial mash porter I brew with WY 1332 finishes at 1.008.

When you do get closer to bottling time check out this carbonation calculator. Carbonate to preference. Carbonating to style is not mandatory.
https://www.northernbrewer.com/priming-sugar-calculator/